Prop 8 Ruling re: Gay Marriage — LDS Church’s Response

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints posted a response to the ruling on Proposition 8 yesterday. (Proposition 8 was passed by voters, defining marriage as only between a man and a woman. A three-person panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (with a 2-1 vote) ruled Prop 8 unconstitutional. An official statement at the LDS Newsroom stated the following:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regrets today’s decision. California voters have twice determined in a general election that marriage should be recognized as only between a man and a woman. We have always had that view. Courts should not alter that definition, especially when the people of California have spoken so clearly on the subject.

Millions of voters in California sent a message that traditional marriage is crucial to society. They expressed their desire, through the democratic process, to keep traditional marriage as the bedrock of society, as it has been for generations.

Disappointment notwithstanding, recognizing that this issue of same-sex marriage is a potentially divisive and volatile one, the Church also has an appeal of its own:

We urge people on all sides of this issue to act in a spirit of mutual respect and civility toward those with a different opinion.

For more information on the Church’s teachings on marriage, and its position on same-sex attraction, see the following links: